Printing-machine.



4 Shegts-Sheet l.

Patented Aug. 27, 19m.

T. NI -N 0 RT H PRINTING MACHINE.

(Apph anon filed Sept 29 1900 m: noRRus mus ca, momlu-ma, wunwnron. n. c,

(No Model.)

No. ss|,253,

L 0 2 0 u A d e .I n e t a P H T R 0 N M PRINTING MACHINE.

(Applicafiion filed Sept. 29, 1900.)

4 Sheets-8heet 3.

(No Model.)

THE mm mm; 00.. wurmumo" wAsmNmm-m c.

p I 7 UNITED STATES PATENT FFicE'.

THOMAS M. NORTH, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT IIOE, OF SAME PLACE.

PRINTING-"MACHINE.

srncrrrcnrro'n forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,253, dated August 27, 190i.

Application filed September 29, 1900. Serial No- 31 47'7. (No model.)

To call whom it mar concern;

Be it known that lflfnolnns M. NORTH, a subject ofthe Queenbf Great Britain and Ireland, residing at New York city, county of i Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part 10 of the same.

' This invention relates to certain improvements injoed-and-cylinder printin g-m achin es of the stop-cylinder type.

In bed-and-cy'linder printing-machines it n5 is desirable to makethe'rnn of the bed as short as possible for a given lengthof formsurface' The impression-surface on the cyl inder must ofcourse be as long as the formsurfaceon the bed, and in stop-cylinder ma- 2o chines, in which the cylinder is not raised and j lowered after the form-surface on the bed and impression-surface on the cylinder pass out of printing relation and the bed moves onward to complete its stroke, it is necessary to give the cylinder an additional movement "in order to insure a clearancebetween the impression-surface and the type, so that on the return of the bed the form may not strike the impression-surface. Furthermore, if the machine be of the planographic type it is necessary that themovement of the bed be sufficient to cause the form to pass the waterrollers, which are always located behind the 1 cylinder. In the beStfOrmofbed and cyl- 5 inder machines the cylinder is driven from the bed during the printing stroke, thereby insuring absolute synchronism of movement between the two during the time of printing. While it is possible to take the cylinder out e of driving relation with the bed and to stop it as soon as the impression-surface thereon leaves the form-surface on the bed, it is not desirable to do this, because at the time when the impression-surface leaves the form-cyliny der the bed and cylinder are running at considerable speed and the strain on the stopping mechanism incident to stopping a cylinder running at considerable speed is very great. Inasmuch as in the best forms of stop-cylin- 5o der machines the bed is driven by acrank movement, the bed is of course constantly slowing down after it passes the middle of its stroke. In practice, therefore, it has been found better to leave the cylinder and bed in driving relation until the bed has nearly completed the stroke, at which time the cylinder has been slowed down by the bed-driving mechanism and is therefore moving at a speed which enables it to be readily caught and stopped by the stopping mechanism Without subjecting it to great strain. Inasmuch as the head of the sheet which is held on the impression-surface by the grippers must accurately meet and register with the head of the form-surface on the bed, the position of the impression-surface on the impressioncylinder is necessarilya fixed one, and if the cylinder remains in driving relation with the bed, as before stated, for a time after the tail of the impression-surface has left the tail of the form it follows, unless the cylinder is made disproportionately large, that the head of the impression-surface must make somewhat more than a half-revolution between the point where it begins to print and the stopping-point of the cylinder. .In. pianographic machines the distance which the cylinder must move after the impression-surface leaves the form-surface is greater than in machines printing from relie-surfaces, because of the necessity of causing the form to pass the water-rollers; but in either case the head of the impression-surface makes somewhat more than a half-revolution. Furthermore, in relief printing-machines it is ,85

not desirable to cause the stopping mechanism to engage the cylinder until after the printing is completed, because if the cylinder is simultaneously in engagement with the bedand the stopping mechanism during the printing operation slurring might occur. Whether, therefore, the machine be constructed to print from planographic or relief surfaces it is necessary to cause the impression-surface to make more than a half-revo- 3 lution of the cylinder unless the diameter of the cylinder be largely increased, which of course would necessitate a longer run of the bed. From what has been before said and assuming that the bed reciprocates in a hori- 10o zontal plane, as is usual, it follows that the head of the impression-surface will come to a U A rme te e e i stop at a position in advance of a vertical plane passing through the diameter of the cylinder. As the feed-board is usually arranged to deliver the sheet to the cylinder at the point where the head of the impressionsurface comes to a stop, it follows that the angle at which the feed-board is arranged with relation to the circumference of the cylinder must be a large one, and the inclination of the feed-board is accordingly considerable. It is not possible, however, to feed sheets rapidly from a steep feed-board, and inasmuch as the capacity of the press is largely determined by the speed at which the sheets can be fed thereto it follows that a steep feed-board necessarily limits the capacity of the press. Furthermore, when a front delivery is used it is necessary to raise the feed-board away from the cylinder in order to avoid breaking the sheet across the edge of the board. The greater the incline of the feed-board, however, the greater must be the lift imparted to it in order to enable the sheet to be pulled olf the cylinder by the front delivery.

It is the object of this invention to produce a printing-machine in which the head of the impression-surface makes more than a halfrevolution between the point at which it begins to print and the point at which the cylinder is brought to a stop and in which it is not necessary to give the feed-board the steep inclination hercinabove referred to.

A further objectrof the invention is to produce certain improved mechanical constructions by which the main object of the invention is carried into effect.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements, and com-- the invention, the parts being shown in the position which they occupy when a sheet is being fed to the machine. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the parts in the position which they occupy just after the bed has begun its printing stroke, the cylinder being at this time in driving relation with the bed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating the position occupied by the parts at the completion of the printing stroke of the bed and at the time when the delivery devices are about to remove the sheet from the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section of the machine,illustrating the arrangement of certain of the operating parts.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a concrete embodiment of my invention, 1 indicates a frame which may be made of any enase suitable form or configuration. This frame is provided with the usual ribs or tracks 2, which are provided with the ordinary antifriction-bearings 3, the tracks 2 being carried by supports 4, which rise from the base of the frame near the center of the press. The bed 5 reciprocates on the tracks and may be driven by any suitable mechanism. Preferably, however, it is provided on its under side with racks 6, said racks meshing with traveling gears 7. These gears 7 are mounted 011 a stud 8, which further carries two smaller gear-wheels 9, said Wheels meshing with racks 10, suitably supported on the bed. To the stud 8 is connected a rod 11, said rod also beingconnected to a crank-arm 12, which is mounted on the crank-shaft 13, the whole forming a well-known construction of driving mechanism ordinarily known as the railroad-gear. The shaft 13 may be driven in any suitable or desired manner. In the construction shown it is provided with a large gear 14, said gear meshing with a pinion 15 on a short shaft 16, suitably mounted in the machine. The shaft 16 carries a gear 17, (indicated in Fig. 3,) said gear meshing with a pinion 18, mounted on a power-shaft 19, which is provided with a belt-pulley 20 or any other suitable form of driving device.

The impression cylinder, which may be of any usual or desired construction, is shown as-mounted on a shaft 21, said shaft finding its bearings in boxes 22, which are located in standards 23, which form a part of the frame. The cylinder has on each of its ends a gearwheel 24, said wheels having cut-away por tions 25, so that they are in reality segments. The bed 5 is provided with racks 26, which are arranged to engage the gears 24, so as to drive the cylinder during the printing stroke. The cylinder is provided with any usual form of sheet-taking devices, being indicated at 27,

these devices being operated in any usual or desired manner.

The machine which has been selected to It is provided with the The length of this surface is so related to the diameter of the impression-cylinder and the form-carrying surface of the bed that the cylinder in making its printing movement that is, the movement which occurs between the time when it takes a sheet from the board and the time when it is brought to. rest by the stopping mechanismmakes more than a illustrate the invention is a planographic printing-machine.

usual inking-rollers 28 and the usual dampcomplete revolution from the sheet-taking point. It is well understood, of course, that the head of the impression-surface on the cylinder meets and accurately registers with the head of the form as the two come into p1eted,in order that absolute synchronism of movement may be attained. While it is possible to interrupt the driving relation between the bed and cylinder immediately after the printing operation is completed, it is not desirable to do this, because at this time the bed and cylinder are moving at considerable speed, and it is not expedient to put upon the stopping mechanism the strain incident to the stopping of a heavy cylinder running at a considerable rate of speed. Since the bed is being driven by a crank mechanism and its speed is constantly decreasing from the middle of the stroke to the end, it is advantageous to permit the cylinder and bed to remain in driving relation until the bed nears a the end of its stroke, at which time the cylinder is moving slowly and the stopping mechanism can take it and bring it to rest without being subjected to undue strain.

The stopping mechanism employed may be of any suitable kind. In the construction shown, however, which constitutes the preferred form of the invention, the cylinder is provided with a short segment 32, the teeth 33 of which are in mesh with teeth 34 on an arm 35. This arm 35 is pivotedon a stud 36,

which is supported at one end in the frame and at the other end in one of the supports4. Suitable means are provided by which the I arm 35 is moved on its pivot into a position where the teeth 34 engage the teeth 33 of the segment 32, this engagement taking place at .thetime when the gears 24 run out of mesh with the racks 26 and thearm being then operated to bring the cylinder to a stop.

Any suitable :means may be provided for producing and controlling the movement of the arm 35. In the construction shown, however, the arm35 is provided with a rearwardlly-extending notched hub 37, and to said hub isconnected an arm 38, which lies just be hind the lower end of the arm 35. The arms 1 38 and 35 are connected bya pin 39, which is engaged by a gab-hook 40, the rear end of the gab-hook being provided with a recess 41,

which embraces a block 42, mounted on the crank-shaft 13, so that the gab-hook may be given a sliding movement on this block,which 1 supports it; i

The movement of thega'b-hook will preferably be produced by suitably-arranged cams. In the construction shown the shaft 16 is provided with two cams 43 44, and the gabhook is provided with friction-rollers 45 and 46, the roller 45 being arranged atthe end of Y the gab-hook and at one side thereof and the roller 46 being arranged farther along the hook and on the other side .thereof. The roller 45 bears against the cam 43, and the roller 46 bears against the cam 44. As the shaft 16 rotates, therefore, the gab hook will be given a movement corresponding to the eccentricity of the cams.

In a planographic machine such as here shown the rotating movement of the cylinder continues until the form on the bed has passed the damping-rollers, the construction being arranged so that the cylinder comes to a stop at the time when the bed beginsits reverse movement. At this time the position of the parts will be that indicated in Fig. 3, and it will be seen that the head of the impression-surface is more than one hundred and eighty degrees from the point where the printing movement beganthat is to say, the head of the impression'surface has rotated through more than a half-revolution between the point where the printing began and the stopping position of the cylinder, which in thepresent machine is the delivery position of the sheet.

Any suitable means may be used with the present machine to deliver the sheet. As

has been indicated, a front delivery, which i may be of any suitable construction, is preferably employed. standards 23, which support the cylinderboxes, are provided with brackets 47, said brackets operating to support one end of tracks or guides 48. In these tracks or guides 48 a carriage 49 is mounted to reciprocate, said carriage being provided with In the machine shown the grippers 50, which close upon and remove the sheet from the cylinder as the latter comes to a stop. Inasmuch as the invention does not extend to the particular form of frontdelivery mechanism, the details of construction by which this delivery operates have in the interest of clearness been omitted from the illustration.

The sheets are supplied to a feed-hoard, which may be of any ordinary construction. The location of this feed-board is, however, of importance, as will be hereinafter pointed out. In the construction shown the feedboard is marked 51, said board being sup ported on uprights 52 and provided with a pivoted flap53, as is usual. Suitable devices are provided for raising this flap to permit the sheets to be withdrawn from the cylinder, after which the board is again lowered into feeding position. The devices for raising and lowering this feed-board may be of any suitable or desired construction. In the machine shown the standards 23 have secured to them brackets 54, whichsupport a rockshaft 55, said shaft carrying arms 56, which extend under and support the outer end of the pivoted flap. As the shaft 55 is rocked it will be seen that the pivoted flap will be raised and'lowered. An y suitable means may be employed for rocking the shaft 55. Inasmuch, however, as these means are not ineluded in the present invention, they have not been illustrated.

Heretofore it has been usual to locate the feed-board so that the end of the pivoted flap was close' to the point where the head of the impression-surface comesto a stop and the delivery devices operate to deliver the sheet. In view of the curvature of the cylinder, however, it has been necessary to arrange the board so that the flap thereof would have a very considerable incline toward the cylinder, and since it is difficult to feed sheets rapidly down a steep incline and at the same time properly position them to obtain accurate register the feeding, and consequently the speed, of the machine has been limited by the position of the feed-board. In the'present machine, therefore, the feed-board is so located that its delivery end is some distance back of the point where the forward end 30 of the impression-surface comes to a stop, and consequently the board can be arranged at the proper angle with respect to the cylinder so as to obtain the best results in feeding the sheets. Furthermore, with the board ar ranged as described the lift which is imparted to it in order to permit the sheets to be withdrawn by the front-delivery device is considerably less than that which must be given to a board arranged on a steep incline, so that the liability of displacing the sheets on the board due to giving it considerable vertical movement is avoided. Inasmuch as the delivery end of the board is located, as has been stated, at some distance back of the deliverypoint of the sheets, it is necessary after the sheet has been delivered to give the cylinder a backward movement, so as to bring the grippers 27 into proper position to take the sheet from the board. This reverse movement of the cylinder may be effected by any suitable means. In the construction shown, however, this is attained through the stopping mechanism, and to this end the cams 43 and 44 are so shaped as to move the cylinder from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1, this movement occurring while the bed is making its reverse movement and while the sheet is being drawn from the cylinder by the operation of the front delivery devices. After the cylinder has reached the position shown in Fig. 1 and the sheet has been withdrawn by the front delivery devices the grippers 27 are closed by the ordinary mechanism, so as to grasp the sheet. As soon as the grippers have firmly laid hold of the sheet the cams 43 44 start the cylinder forward with an easy movement, and this movement is continued until the racks 26 engage with the segments 24 on the forward or printing movement of the bed, after which the bed takes the cylinder.

A suitable throw-0E mechanism is provided, which may be of any suitable construction. In the machine shown the forward end of the gab-hook 40 has pivoted to it an eccentricrod 57, said rod being connected to a strap 58, which surrounds an eccentric 59, mounted on a short shaft 60, said shaft being suitably supported in the machine. The shaft has a handle 61 secured thereto, by which the shaft and the eccentric carried by it may be rotated. Extending from the shaft 60 is an arm 62, said arm being connected by a link 63 to a rock-arm 64, pivoted on a short shaft 65, said shaft being mounted in a bracket 66, secured to one of the cross bars of the frame. The rock-arm 64 has a hooked end 67, which is arranged to engage the pin 39, which is ordinarily engaged by the gab-hook when the gab-hook is disengaged therefrom. As the shaft 60 is rotated the eccentric 59, acting through its strap and rod, raises the gabhook out of engagement with the pin 39 and at the same time, through the arm 62 and the connections described, the rock-arm 64 is rocked up into a position where its hooked end 67 engages the pin, which has been released by the gab-hook. By this construction the cylinder is firmly held in its proper position-that is, with its low side toward the form-and the machine may be run without rotating the cylinder.

It is of course important that the tripping mechanism should not be operated except when the cylinder is in proper position-that is, with its low side toward the bed. To prevent the operation of the tripping mechanism except at the proper times, suitable safety devices are employed. In the construction shown the short shaft 65 has secured to it an upwardly-extending arm 68. To this arm 68 is secured a forked rod 69, the fork of the rod straddling the crank-shaft 16. This rod has secured to it near its fork a projection 70, which normally lies inside a segment-shaped guard 71, secured to a disk 72, keyed to the shaft 16. This segment is so arranged that the projection 70 is always in engagement with the inner side of the segment except at the time when in the revolution of the crankshaft the cylinder is positioned with its low side toward the form. The segment-guard, the rod 69, and the arm 68 will therefore prevent any movement of the short shaft 65, except when the cylinder is in the position referred to. It is not possible, therefore, to rotate the shaft 60 and the eccentric 59 except when the cylinder is in this position.

The operation of the construction will be clear to those skilled in the printing art from the foregoing description, and a detailed statement of theoperation of the construction is therefore unnecessary.

The specific devices by which this invention is carried into effect may be varied within wide limits. The invention is not therefore to be limited to the specific construction herein described and shown.

What I claim is- 1. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an IIO olution during itsprinting movement, stopr ping mechanism, and means for giving the cylinder-a reverse movement back to the sheet-takingpoint after the printing opera tion is completed, substantially as described.

2. Ina prin ting-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during its printing movement, stopping mechanism, and means whereby the stopping mechanism gives the cylinder a reverse movement back to the sheet-taking point after the printing operation is completed, substantially as described.

3. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during its printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, and means for giving the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feedboard, substantially as described.

4. In a prin'tingemachine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during the printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, and means whereby the stopping mechanism gives i the cylinder a reverse movement from the .45

stopping-point back to the feed-board, substantially as described.

5. In a printing-machine, the combination 1 with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with re spect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revo-' lution during the printing movement, stopping mechanism, a front delivery mechanism, and means for giving the cylinder a reverse movement back to the sheet-taking point after the printing operation is completed, substantially as described.

6. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolutionduring the printing movement, stopping mechanism ,a front delivery mechanism, and means whereby the stopping mechanism gives the cylinder a reverse movement back to the sheet-taking point after the printing operation is completed, substantially as d escribed.

7. In a printing-machine, the combination spect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete rev0- lution during the printing movement, stop ping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, a front delivery mechanism, and means for giving the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feed board,

substantially as described.

8. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than acomplete revolution during the printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder isstopped, a front delivery mechanism, and means whereby the stopping mechanism gives the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feed-board, substantially as described.

with a form-carrier, of a cylinder havingan impression-suface of such a length with re- 75 9. In a printing-machine, the combination i with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during its printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, and means for giving the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feed board, and means for raising and lowering the feed-board, substantially as described.

10. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during its printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, means whereby the stopping mechanism gives the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feedboard, and means for raising and lowering the feed-board, substantially as described.

11. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carryin g surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during the printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point Where the cylinder is stopped, a front delivery mechanism, means for giving the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feedboard, and means for raising and lowering the feed-board, substantially as described.

12. In a printing-machine, the combination with a form-carrier, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such a length with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a complete revolution during the printing movement, stopping mechanism, a feed-board arranged back of the point where the cylinder is stopped, a front delivery mechanism, means whereby the stopping mechanism gives the cylinder a reverse movement from the stopping-point back to the feed-board, and means for raising and lowering the feed-board, substantially as'described.

13. In a printingmachine, the combination with a reciprocating bed, of a cylinder having an impression-surface of such alength with respect to the form-carrying surface of the carrier that; the cylinder after taking the sheet is required to make more than a comthe hook to impart to said arm a movement which will bring the cylinder to a stop and thereafter give it a reverse movement back to the sheet-taking point, means for discondevice for preventing the operation of the disconnecting means except at specified times, and a locking mechanism for holding the arm stationary and disconnecting the gab-hook, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS M. NORTH.

' \Vitnesses:

J. A. GRAVES, A. A. V. BOURKE.

, necting the gab-hook from the arm, a safety 

